In the week ending Feb. 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial
claims was 667,000, an increase of 36,000 from the previous week's revised figure of
631,000. The 4-week moving average was 639,000, an increase of 19,000 from the
previous week's revised average of 620,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.8 percent
for the week ending Feb. 14, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior
week's unrevised rate of 3.7 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during
the week ending Feb. 14 was 5,112,000, an increase of 114,000 from the preceding
week's revised level of 4,998,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,932,250,
an increase of 89,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,843,000.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 4.466 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted,
totaled 602,730 in the week ending Feb. 21, a decrease of 17,221 from the previous
week. There were 329,925 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.6 percent during the
week ending Feb. 14, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week.
The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs
totaled 6,098,530, an increase of 126,384 from the preceding week. A year earlier,
the rate was 2.5 percent and the volume was 3,298,510.

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, Puerto Rico, and Rhode Island during the week ending Feb. 7.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,244 in the week ending Feb. 14, a decrease of 252 from the prior week. There were 1,941 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 75 from the preceding week.

There were 19,559 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Feb. 7, a decrease of 1,675 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,129, an increase of 97 from the prior week.

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Feb. 14 were in New Jersey (+2,093), Virginia (+912), Rhode Island (+493), Vermont (+106), and South Dakota (+22), while the largest decreases were in California (-16,550), Kentucky (-7,741), Pennsylvania (-6,547), Illinois (-6,248), and New York (-3,955).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 21

Feb. 14

Change

Feb. 7

Year

Initial Claims (SA)

667,000

631,000

+36,000

627,000

359,000

Initial Claims
(NSA)

602,730

619,951

-17,221

710,152

329,925

4-Wk Moving Average
(SA)

639,000

620,000

+19,000

608,500

347,750

Advance

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 14

Feb. 7

Change

Jan. 31

Year

Ins. Unemployment
(SA)

5,112,000

4,998,000

+114,000

4,820,000

2,744,000

Ins. Unemployment
(NSA)

6,098,530

5,972,146

+126,384

5,953,114

3,298,510

4-Wk Moving Average
(SA)

4,932,250

4,843,000

+89,250

4,747,750

2,746,500

Ins. Unemployment
Rate (SA)2

3.8%

3.7%

+0.1

3.6%

2.1%

Ins. Unemployment Rate
(NSA)2

4.6%

4.5%

+0.1

4.4%

2.5%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 14

Feb. 7

Change

Year

Federal Employees

1,244

1,496

-252

879

Newly Discharged Veterans

1,941

2,016

-75

1,426

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS
(UNADJUSTED)

Prior1

WEEK ENDING

Feb. 7

Jan. 31

Change

Year

Federal Employees

19,559

21,234

-1,675

16,413

Newly Discharged Veterans

28,129

28,032

+97

23,306

Railroad RetirementBoard

9,000

9,000

0

4,000

Extended Benefits

2,710

1,309

+1,401

0

EUC 2008

1,393,834

1,551,146

-157,312

0

FOOTNOTESSA - Seasonally Adjusted DataNSA -
Not Seasonally Adjusted Data1 - Prior year is comparable
to most recent data.2 - Most recent week used covered employment of 133,886,830 as denominator.

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-16,550

Fewer layoffs in the trade and service industries.

KY

-7,741

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

PA

-6,547

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and transportation
industries.

IL

-6,248

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing
industries.

NY

-3,955

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.

OH

-3,783

No comment.

MI

-3,704

No comment.

WI

-3,698

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and manufacturing
industries.

FL

-3,486

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing
industries, and agriculture.